Greatest Western... Ever?

[smalls]

I've yet to see "True Grit", but I've read many of the reviews and it is interesting how divided crowds are in this film, either loving it or insulted by the fact somone would have the gall to remake The Duke.

This gets me thinking, what is the greatest western ever?

To me, the list begins and ends with "Once Upon a Time in the West"... but I'm interested to hear what the rest of you think.

 

[noharleyyet]

The new True Grit ranks in the top five (but recency is often primacy). The Missouri Breaks with Nicholson and Brando is hard to beat. Once Upon a Time... (one of Leone's spaggetti westerns)... not so much, although Fonda's character might've been his best performance. The Wild Bunch and The Magnificent Seven aint bad neither.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Lots of great ones, but The Unforgiven is my favorite.

 

[smarandr]

I'm afraid I haven't seen too many westerns that are more than 25 years old so I know I'm missing a lot, but my vote would be for Open Range.

 

[Big Fin]

I can think of a big stack of them that have Eastwood in them. Liked them all, and watch them when they come on, even though I have seen them about twenty times.

My vote still goes to Tombstone. Why Val Kilmer did not sweep every award possible for his role in that one is beyond my comprehesion. Guess Westerns just don't have any Hollywood supporters these days.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Josey Wales.

 

[Drake4]

My vote still goes to Tombstone. Why Val Kilmer did not sweep every award possible for his role in that one is beyond my comprehesion.

Yep...Tombstone and Lonesome Dove for me.

 

[awapiti]

I like the ones listed above; have to second Lonesome Dove, this was one of my favorites. Here are a few good ones that were not already listed:
The Proposition
3:10 To Yuma

I am looking forward to True Grit, but I am going to wait until I have rewatched the original this weekend.

 

[BuzzH]

To me, the list begins and ends with "Once Upon a Time in the West"...

No doubt about it...best story line and the cast was second to none.

 

[----]

Can't remember the title, but I really liked the one with the Asian director and Maggie Gyllenhaal's brother from a few years back.

 

[drtdeer]

Josey Wales.

"Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms"

 

[M. R. Byrd]

My oldest son and I watched a lot of westerns together and he taped a lot of them on VHS. He really liked anything with John Wayne.

One movie that I will sit down and watch about every time it comes on television is, "A River Of No Return" with Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047422/

 

[Big Slick]

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, War Wagon, okay anything John Wayne.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Jeremiah Johnson and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are always tops. Red River and Rio Bravo w/ Wayne are Sunday Matinée materials at home.

Tom Horn w/ Steve McQueen - I can remember riding around Iron Mtn and my father regaling me with stories of Tom Horn and how he was set up by the Stockgrowers. Growing up in the same country as those boys rode in has a way of making you see their side of the story.

Favorite Western story has to be about Lou "no nose" Polk. She managed a whorehouse in Casper that was owned by Senator Carey back around 1895 or so. Her establishment brought the first murder there, and her own story of being kidnapped and maimed by her partner/lover would make for a fine western movie.

 

[Big Slick]

Ben I had forgotten all about Tom Horn. I haven't seen it in twenty years I bet. Also forgot about Little Big Man.

 

[MattK]

Best Bad guy in a western..."Cowboys" with John Wayne. Story line..."Once upon a time in the west". One liners..."Big Jake". funniest..."Blazing Saddles".

 

[M. R. Byrd]

Killing of Dora Hand

A story from Dodge is the killing of Dora Hand, which was recently performed on stage at the Longbranch Saloon. I did not happen to see it, but it is a western musical written by Peter S. Burke. It has been performed also in Ashland, OR and Laguna Beach, CA.

A little about the musical, "Tales of Fannie Keenan, Better Known as Dora Hand"-
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/peter-s-burke/19/314/a95

A little about Dora Hand-
http://www.historynet.com/the-killing-of-dora-hand.htm/5

BTW, The old Sante Fe Depot in Dodge is now home to the Depot Theater

http://www.depottheaterco.com/cms/

 

[Drake4]

The Man from Snowy River

 

[schmalts]

"You gona pull those pistols or whistle dixey??"

"Are you a bounty hunter?" " A mans got to make a livin" "Dying aint much of a livin"

"It's a good thing you came when you did, I might have killer her" (old Indian Chief)

Jose Whales is my favorite

 

[vander34]

I also have to give the cowboys my vote, along with Tombstone and Lonesome Dove.